With Ramadan approaching, we see websites putting up relevant articles on the front page, forums reviving their special seasonal section, centres organising Ramadan classes. You might have seen them the year before and the year before last. You might think “Bleh, why can’t they put up *new* articles about Ramadan?” You might also be the same to mock the upcoming Ramadan course, saying (with some awkward snortle), “Ramadan in and Ramadan out, they’re still learning what nullifies the fast!”
But is it really a bad thing to have the same reruns for this sacred month? I beg to differ. (Ok, lame pun). Of course we all cringe when it’s the moot arguments of the sighting of the moon or “8 or 20?”. But when it comes to the genuine guidelines and advice for fasting, the old can be just as useful as the new. You might be at a higher level of iman now and can probably have a better grasp of whatever information you’re fed. Or if your nafs is weak at this point, how good it would be for you to receive the same reminder that got you up in the first place. What was once the initiator can now be a remedy for the heart.
One of the most annoying “it’s always same old stuff”-complaints to me is when brothers whine about the Jumu3ah khutbahs every week. Even though I work at the masjid, I hardly get to sit in for the Friday prayer as I tend to finish work just as the adhan sounds and by then, rows of men would’ve blocked the way to the muslimah’s corner. I sometimes go late anyway, with brothers kindly making way for me but it is kinda embarrassing and the risk of nullifying wudhu’ is more of a concern for them than it would be for me. (Yes, that’s the shafi’i in me!). Anyway, the point is, brothers need to appreciate the benefit of being reminded every week where the sisters will only benefit should they choose to even go. “Ittaqillah” is a command we can never get enough of.
I’ve actually mentioned this in a previous blog post, so read here for more on repetitions effectively employed (linguistically and otherwise) in the deen.
I just want to add this time round that we must challenge our mindset to accept that we will often receive the same reminders but to expect different benefits each time. A paradigm shift, if you will, in the way we approach any gathering of the deen. So that we might always reap the best from what might seem awfully redundant.
Same Difference: On Ramadan Re-runs at Ijtema Said:
on August 22, 2007 at 6:10 pm
[...] With Ramadan, comes reminders about Ramadan; you can only say the same thing so many times, in so ma… But is it really a bad thing to have the same reruns for this sacred month? I beg to differ. (Ok, lame pun). Of course we all cringe when it’s the moot arguments of the sighting of the moon or “8 or 20?”. But when it comes to the genuine guidelines and advice for fasting, the old can be just as useful as the new. You might be at a higher level of iman now and can probably have a better grasp of whatever information you’re fed. Or if your nafs is weak at this point, how good it would be for you to receive the same reminder that got you up in the first place. What was once the initiator can now be a remedy for the heart. Powered by Gregarious (21) [...]
iMuslim Said:
on August 22, 2007 at 6:12 pm
Assalamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullah
I pray that you are in the best of health & imaan.
This is a short message to notify you that this entry has been selected for publishing on IJTEMA, a venture to highlight the best of the Muslim blogosphere.
To find out more about IJTEMA, and how you can further contribute, please click here.
May Allah bless you for your noble efforts.
Wa’salam
Editor Said:
on August 23, 2007 at 2:57 am
wa ‘alaykum as-salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh
Hey, jazakumullahu khair. I’m honoured! You guys do a great job, masha Allah. Ooo, I need to add Ijtema to my blogroll innit. Btw, your intro was so succinct, it should’ve been my lead! Hehe. Thanks again. :)
Traveller Said:
on August 24, 2007 at 12:59 pm
as salaamu ‘alaykum,
true about the ramadaan article reruns being useful.
i might shift my blog to wordpress also..been thinking about it for a while now; its plain and tidy. I like.
ws.
Editor Said:
on August 24, 2007 at 2:33 pm
wa ‘alaykum as-salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh
Glad you agree on that! :)
And please do move to wordpress, so I can finally subscribe to your blog feeds! Do it!